In Vembanad Lake and its confluent rivers (Kerala, India), the catches of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) were reported
to have dwindled to a mere 39 t in the 1980s from average landings of 300 t during the 1960s. This decline is due to the impact
of a number of human interventions affecting the ecosystem and, hence, the stocks of M. rosenbergii. Monitoring of landings in
1994-1995 and 1995-1996 indicates an improvement in catches. This paper discusses the reasons for the decline and revival
in stocks and suggestions for their replenishment.